Book Review: Going Rogue

Going Rogue: An American Life. By Sarah Palin. New York: HarperCollins, 2009.

Two things are very clear to me after reading Going Rogue.

Number one. I really want to go to Alaska! The beauty of creation, the enormous, breathtaking scenery, the great hiking, and fantastic hunting are all calling me. I want to got to Alaska! (did I say that already?)

Number two. The left wing media was far more corrupt and successful in their depiction of Sarah Palin as an inexperienced, uninformed politician than I had ever imagined. I had come to believe that Sarah Palin would be fit for a position on someone’s administration but not adequate as vice presidential or presidential material. This book opened my eyes and proved me wrong. If she would have been given more platforms and more freedom from the McCain campaign, this would have been clear to Americans.

As a believer, her testimony of faith toward the front of the book was somewhat disturbing. It sounded like nothing more than decisionism. “I made the conscious decision that summer to put my life in my Creator’s hands and trust Him as I sought my life’s path” (p. 22). What made me uneasy was the lack of Christ in this statement of faith. However, I was pleased and refreshed to hear her elaborate further in the book. She affirms that man is fallen (p. 385), and she makes a clearer statement of giving her life to God and depending on His grace (p. 413, “Acknowledgements”). Better, but I still wish she would have spoken directly about Christ’s work on our behalf.

I do have to commend her for taking such a strong stand for life and for her family. She shares a very personal moment when she entertained abortion for a split-second. She’s human. She’s real. And thankfully, she chose life! Throughout her hectic campaign and upsetting issue with her daughter’s pregnancy, she maintained a commitment to her family. Before giving the speech of her life at the GOP convention, she changed her baby’s diaper! She writes, “It’s the kind of thing that keeps you grounded” (p. 240). That’s awesome!

If you are interested in the real Sarah Palin and not Katie’s version, read this book.